As of: February 17, 2024, 12:05 p.m
By: Florian Naumann
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Volodymyr Zelenskyj gives a fiery speech in Munich.
He also invites Donald Trump to the front – to experience the “real war”.
Munich - Volodymyr Zelenskyj gave an urgent speech at the Munich Security Conference: The Ukrainian President warned on Saturday morning (February 17) of a global catastrophe if Vladimir Putin was not stopped.
He also called for more air defense systems and longer-range weapons - and invited Donald Trump to the front in the Ukraine war.
Zelensky's speech was in sharp contrast to the appearance of Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) shortly before.
Zelensky warns of “catastrophe” by Putin – and called for more weapons
“There are no long-range weapons.
Russia has them, we have very few of them.
That's the whole truth.
Therefore, our main weapons are precisely our fighters,” Zelensky said.
But it is “unfair” if people have to fight against artillery.
At the same time, the Ukrainian president described positive prospects: If there were more air defense systems, people could return to their homeland.
At the same time, Russia will withdraw from areas without air sovereignty - out of concern for its aircraft.
Ukraine will also “surprise” the aggressor with its own drone production in 2024.
Volodymyr Zelenskyj during his speech to the participants of the Munich Siko.
© Felix Hörhager/dpa/picture-alliance
“If we don’t act now, Putin will succeed in turning the next few years into a catastrophe,” Zelensky warned his supporters at the same time.
This applies not only to Ukraine, but also to other countries: Russia could “destroy” the Baltic states or even Poland.
Putin is a “monster” who not only destroyed thousands of lives in Ukraine, but also had people “slaughtered” in Chechnya and Syria.
Zelensky invites Trump to the Ukraine front in Munich: “Not Instagram, the real war”
Zelensky also directly addressed possible US presidential candidate Donald Trump.
Zelensky said he had already publicly invited Trump to Ukraine in response to a question.
He is ready to visit the front line with “Mr. Trump” at any time.
It is very important to demonstrate what “the real war is”: “Not Instagram, the real war.”
Trump's Republicans are currently blocking an aid package for Ukraine in the US Congress.
In fact, according to data recently presented on the sidelines of the Munich Siko, European states are now the most important donors - including military aid.
Zelenskyj now warned of an “artificial weapons deficit”.
The Republican US Senator Pete Ricketts had to put up with critical questions in a following panel - but stoically referred to democratic processes, the need for further “time” and an alleged emergency at the US southern border.
Zelenskyj declares Avdiivka withdrawal – President of Ukraine gives loss ratio
With a view to the Ukrainian withdrawal from Avdiivka, Zelensky pointed out the value that human lives had for Ukraine.
It is a professional decision to protect the lives of Ukrainian soldiers.
“Our soldiers are people,” he emphasized.
In Putin's Russia, human lives are "worthless," he had previously complained.
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“I cannot share with you the number of losses, the number of victims,” Zelenskyj told
CNN
presenter Christiane Amanpour in the panel interview following his speech.
In Avdiivka the ratio of losses was approximately “one to seven”;
For every fallen or injured Ukrainian soldier, Putin's army loses around seven combatants.
It was terrible to lose even a single person - "but we didn't start all this," emphasized Zelensky, who received a standing ovation for his speech.
Scholz appeared immediately before Zelensky.
He spoke of a “silver lining” in the current crises – a word that Siko boss Christoph Heusgen had used in his opening speech the day before.
During his appearance, Scholz also indirectly criticized Trump's recent statements about NATO: "Any relativization of NATO's guarantee of assistance only benefits those who, like Putin, want to weaken us," he said.
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